Can body maker



Sept. 6, 1932. J. F. PETERS CAN BODY MAKER Filed June :'5. 1927 4 SheetsSheet 1 u l i ATTORNEY Sept. 6 1932. 1. F. PETERS GAN BODY MAKER A Filed June 3. 1927 4 sneetssneet 2 Sept. 6, 1932. J,F PETERS 1,875,353

y CAN BODY MAKER Filed June 3. 192.7 V4 Sheds-Sheet 3 ,ZM ATroRNE s Sept. 6, 1932. J. F. PETERS 1,875,353

` om BODY MAKER y Filed June I5. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet V4 @y fl r Imi ATTRNEY Patented Sept. s, 1932 UNITED STATES JOHN E. PETERS, E nocnES'rEn,

, or NEW Yomr, n. Y.,

NEW YORK,

AsSIGNoB To 4'armamenti GAN COMPANY,

A GORPORATION 0F .'EW J CAN BODY MAKER Application led June 8,

rl`his invention relates in general to an apparatus for making can ticnlarly to the elimination of notching paratus for can body blanks as a unitary of the apparatus.

A principal object of the invention is to simplify the construction and operation of the body maker by providing can body blanks With proper notches prior to their arrangeappart V0 ment in the feed magazine of the body maker from which they are fed singly to the operative mechanism which forms them into can bodies.

v Numerous other objects of the invention Will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connect-ion with the accompanying drawirgs, discloses a preferred embodiment thereo n the drawings: Figure 1 illustrates one type of fully prepared can body blank, such as is adapted to be placed in the feeding magazine of this apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the body forming apparatus and a portion of an associated Side seaming mechanism; y

Fig. 4 is a section through the can body blank magazine and the forming station as taken along the line 4.-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation of a portion of the blank feeding mechanism as seen in viewing Fig. 4 from the lefthand side;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2 and illustrating the edging station i and Fig. 7-is a section taken yon the line 7-7 of plan view of the body forming Fig. 2 and illustrating the interlocking sta-` tlon.

Fig. 8 is a vertical'section of one of the feed bars'with one of its spring dogs. Fig. 9 isa vertical sectional detail .of the suctional blank feed member.

The present invention is an improvement over a standard form of body maker as shown in John F. Peters Patent 1,625,091 of April 121927, the improvement consisting in the elimination of notching and attendant feed-4 bodies, and more par? Y soldering machine.

1927. Serial No. 196,207.

ing mechanism from thev body maker itself,

so that the magazine stack holder may be lo` cated directly adjacent the forming mechanism and the blanks fed directly thereto.

In the process of manufacturing can bodies, as illustarted in my above mentioned patent, a properly sized blank is fed automatically through mechanism for notchin the edges of the blanks, and thereafter t e notched blanks are fed continuously into the forming mechanism as shown and described.

Referring briefly to these operations, the can body is first formed into cylindrical or -other annular Shape, the opposite edges are bent to provide interlocking hook portions, the hook portions are interlocked and compressed to form a tight seam, and the can body is then passed through the side seam Referring more particularly to the drawings, machine base 10 is suitably supported and carries a frame 11 upon which is a magazine or stack holder for can body blanks 12,

the magazine comprising adjustable sides 13 and ends 14 Secured to a bracket 15 which is mounted upon the frame 1 Each of the blanks 12 is formed with notches 16and 17 (see Fig. 1)' before being deposited in the magazine, so that no notching of the blanks is necessary after the body blanks are deposited in the feeding magazine, and the magazine is` or may be located closely adjacent to the mechanism which bends the blank to desired shape.-

As Shown more clearly in Fi 2 and 4, the magazine is located directly a jacent a horn 18 which extends throughout the len h of the body maker and communicates at t e end furthest from the magazine with a. horn extension 19 connected with the side seam soldering machine 20 indicated in Fig. 3.

The can .body blanks are fedone by-one from the bottom of the magazine to the .forming mechanism around the horn 18 adjacent thereto, the formed can body being then moved along the horn for the subsequent operations of the machine.v

To remove the lowermost blank 12 from a Stack in the magazine, there is a feeding plate with bars 21 mounted 'below a. bottom or slide bars the other end of the link being pivoted fixed platform 22, upon which the blanks are supported in the magazine. The bottom plat-l form extends the greater length of the blank but terminates at a distance from the end of the magazine remote from the horn 18 to form an opening 23. A suction cup 24 of the usual rubber or fiexible cupped disc type is mounted upon one end of an arm 25 secured to a horizontal oscillating shaft, to be hereafter described, the oscillation of which moves the arm and its cup 24 to operate vertically through the opening 23. ,This movement causes the cap 24,1n its upper position, to engage the rear end of the lowermost blank 12, z

and when the suction cup is drawn downwardly it bends the engaged end of the lowermost blank downwardly, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. s

When the lowermost blank is bent downwardly, the edge thereof is in position for engagement by feed dogs 26 carried by the 21 which move the blank en wise to be engaged by the forming mechanism.

To reciprocate the slide bars 21, they are connected to or formed integral with a crosspiece 27 having a depending lug 28 in which one end of an adjustable link 29 is pivoted,

` to the upper end of a lever 30 which in turn is pivoted at its lower end in a bracket 31 secured to the machine base 10. Intermediate its ends, this lever 30 carries a cam following roller 32 which rides in a cam groove 33 of a cam 34 mounted upon a horizontal shaft 35 journalled in bearings 36 secured to the upper surface of the machine frame 10. At its o posite end, this shaft 35 carries a sproc et 37, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, and a drive chain 38 engages this sprocket and also a s' rocket 39 mounted on a horizontal drive sha t 40 which is journalled in bearings below the machine base 10 and carries a iiy wheel 41.l l

For operating the suction cup 24, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the arm 25, upon which it is carried at one end, oscillates with a shaft- 42 carried by the bracket 15 of the machine frame, the shaft also having another arm 25a secured thereto with its outer end pivoted to one end of a link 43, the other end of the link being pivoted to a stud 44 secured eccentrcally upon a sprocket 45 carried by the continuously driven shaft 35.

With this construction, rotation of the shaft.35 oscillates the" arm 25 and the suction cup 24 is brought into contact with the rear edge of the lowermost blank 12 each time it is raised through the opening 23, and when the cup is lowered it carries the blank with it into the position shown in'Fig. 4 for the engagement of the dogs 26 lon the slide bars 21 which move the selected blank from the bot- A'Iexible tube 46 extends from the lever Y l5 25 where it is connectedwith the suction cup magazine ends 14 is f with a lever 63 pivoted suitable mechanism in connection with the shaft 35, this mechanism not being illustrated in detail in the drawings.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 4, one of the elevated. above the bottom plate 22 to provide a passageway 49 of suiicient size to permit a single body blank 12 to pass therethrough but preventing more than a single blank being fed from the maga- When the feeding fingers 26 on the slide bars 21 engage the lowered edge of the lowermost blank, the forward edge of the blank is moved into en agement with forming rollers 50 and 51. T e up ermost roller 50 is positioned in a channel ormed in a lower part of the horn18 and placed directly beneath the upper one. s ghe forward edge of the blank 12 is engaged the forward edge against a shaping plate 52 lwhich is mounted on the frame 11 and adjusted by means of a screw 53 for proper position relative to thevrollers. The engagement of the shaping late 52causes the forward end of the blank to bend or curl about the horn 18 where it is restrained by circular hinged guide shields 54 and 55 pivoted on a rod 56 carried by supports 57 mounted on the frame 11, (see also Fig. 3).

The blank feeding rollers 50 and 51 are constantly driven at high speed by a motor above the base 10 on a-frame bracket 59. A driving connection is made the lowermost roller is lthe rollers 50 and 51 they withdraw 1t v from -the bottom of the magazine and feed direct from the motor to the rollers by means i of a chain 60.

When a body blank 12 is positioned about the horn 18, it makes engagement with a number of bars 61 reciprocable in longitudinal channels 62 in the horn and these bars" are reciprocated by a suitable connection at its lower end upon a pivot pin ,64 supported by the machine frame 10. The lever is actuated by a link 65connected at one end to the ylever 63 intermediate its ends and at the other end to a crank 66 formed on shaft 35 as illustrated in Fig. 4. Full details of this feed drive are illustrated in Peters Patent 1,625,091, and further description is thought unnecessary to an understanding of the present-invention.

The feed bars 61 carry spring dogs 66 which engage the formed blanks positioned upon the horn 18 and advance them intermittently along the horn to present the blanls for subsequent operations of the machine Inthe iirst or forming stations the blanks arf held by the circular guide shields 54 and 55 and as the-can body is advanced along th horn 18 tothe subsequent stations, it is move( illustrate more clearly by Fig. 6, in which the two adjacent edges of a body blank 12 are bent into opposite hooks 69 and 70. This bending is accomplished by means of a rocker edglng tool71 provided with hardened steel ed 'ng dies 72 and 73 (zo-operating with anvils 4 and 75 respectively, carried by levers 76 pivoted at 77 to the frame of the machine and operated in timed relation by arms 78 to form the hooks. The details of this operatin mechanism may be the same as that describe in my atent before referred to and need not again be described in this application. l

After passing the edging or hook forming station, the formed blank is brought to rest at the interlocking station illustrated by Fig. 7. At this station a pair of side clamps 79 are moved inwardly to hold the walls of the y blank- 12 in properposition to enable levers A' ing mechanism done away with, but also the. long feed travel, and instead of :feeding the 8O and 8l properly to interen a e the hooked edges of the bod blank. en this engagement takes .p ace a seam is formed by bumping or flattening the inter-hooked edges with a hammer 82. The specific mechanism at this interlocking station maybe the same as that described in my patent before referred to.

The drive shaft 40 receivesrotation from a vertically extending shaft 83 through bevel gears 84, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3 and from a horizontal shaft 85 through bevel gears 86. The horizontal shaft 85 carries a spur gear 87 which meshes with a gear 88 mounted ona horizontal drive shaft 89 which carries a driving pulley 90 to which power is applied by means of a belt in any desired. manner.

As illustrated more clearly in Fig. 3, a driving connection may be made with the side seam soldering machine 20 by providing a driving sprocket 91 on the driving shaft 89 and connecting it by means of chains 92 and 93 and suitable driving mechanism 94 with the side soldering machine 20. l

With this vconstruction the can body blanks cut to size and'properly notched' Aat the ends are deposited in a stack inthe magazine at one side of the forming station. From this position the blanks are fed from the bottom of the stack by rst withdrawing the far edge of the lowermost blank from the stack and engaging it with pushing dogs which push the blank endwiseuntil the near edge engages the feeding rollers. The blanks are then formed, edged and interlocked in subsequent stations to which they. are moved `intermittently along` the forming horn. By thus locating the feeding m ine at the side of the body former, not ozis the blank notchblanks first parallel with the forming horn and then at right angles to it at the forming station, the blanks are simply deposited in a magazine and are fed directl to the body former, the feed stroke being s ort as may be seen from Fig. 4.

It is thought that this invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that many changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacri-` licing all of its material advantages; the form hereinbefore described being merely apreferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A machine for making can bodies, comprising a forming horn, a magazine arranged at the side of the horn and near the bottom thereof, roller means for wrapping the blanks around said horn, and means for feeding the blanks from the bottom of said magazine directly to the said roller means, and means for bending the edges of the blanks and means for interlocking said bent edges.

2. A machine for making can bodies, comprising a forming horn, roller means at the bottom of the horn for wrapping the blanks around the horn, reciprocating means for intermittently advancing said blanks upon the horn, a stack holder for blanks at the side of said horn, and intermittent means for `advancing the blanks one at a time from the bottom of said holder directly to the said roller means,and means for bending the edges of the blanks and means for interlocking said bent edges.

directly into said roller means from said holder of the blanks adjacent thereto.

4. In a machine for makingcan bodies, a forming horn, roller means for wrapping the blanks around" the horn, means for feeding the blanks intermittently longitudinally of the horn,.means forming a vertical maga'- zine adjacent'to the side of the horn and of the roller means, and an intermittent feed 3. A machine for making can bodies, comfor .engaging the lowermost blank in the magazine and feeding it only at right angles to the movement of blanks on the horn for direct engagement by the roller means, and

means for bending the edges of the blanks Aand means for interlocking said bent edges.

ln yamachine for making can bodies, a. forming horn, continuously operating roller means f or wrapping a blank around the horn,

reciprocating means for intermittently adbottom of said stack into said roller means, Y vancing formed blanks along the horn, means and intermittently timed means for withforming a magazine for hol ing blanks flatly dlaW1I 1g the remote edge 0f the lovvermqst in horizontal position, .stacked one above the blpk 111 the Stack lntO enggemelltwlth S5116. 5 other, at one side of the formingN horn adreciprocable means, and meansfor bending 70 jacent said'roller means, and blank feeding the edges 0f. the blanks and means OI 111- means for engaging the outer edge of the lowtrlockmg Sad bent edges- ,'ermost blank in said magazine and pushing JOHN F. PETERS. the inner end of the blank directly from the bottom of said stack into said roller means, 76

fand means for bending the edges of the blanks and means for interlocln'n said. bent edges. 6. In a machine for ma 'ng can bodies, a forming horn, roller means for forming the blanks aroundthe horn, means forminga l v 80 v magazine for vertically stacked blanks at one side of the horn opposite the roller means, means for feeding the blanks endwise to the roller means from the bottom of the magazine, said means comprising a suction device 85 for withdrawing the remote edge of the lowermost blank from the stack, and reciprocating means having fingers for engaging a withdrawn edge and for pushing the lowermostfblank thus engaged directly from the l 90 stack into engagement Withsaid roller means,

and means for bending the edges of the blanks and lmeans for interlocking said bent edges.

7. In a machine for making can` bodies, a forming horn, continuously operating roller 95 means for wrapping the blanks around .the horn, reciprocating means for intermittently advancing the blanks along the horn, means 5' for holding a stack of formed blanks at one side of the horn adjacent the roller means, 100

an intermittently operating feeder for pushing the blanks one. at a time directly from the said stack into said roller means, and a pneumatic device interm'ttently operable for 'blank in timed relation for engagement by said intermittent feeder, and means for bending the edges of the blanks and means for Y interlocking-said bent edges.

drawing down the far edge ofthe lowermost A V .105

- 8. In a machine for making can bodies, 110

continuously -operating roller means for forming the blanks, an intermittently o rating blank feeder comprising mem rs reciprocable at the bottom of,a stack of n blanks and having fingers for engaging the H5 far edge v"of the lowermost blank only and pushing the nearY e'dge of a blank directly from the bottom of said stack into engage ,55 ment with said roller means, and means for bending the edges of the blanks and means i Y 129 for interlocking said bent edges.

9.. In a machine for making can bodies, continuously operating roller means for roll ing the blanks into circular form, an intermit 12u tently operating blank feeder comprising reciprocablemeans with fingers for engaging the remote side of the lowermost blank in a f/ vertical stack of such blanks and directly feed- 5 ing the-near side ofsuch a blank from the t LJ 

